Genesis 46:28

28 Forsooth Jacob sent Judah before him to Joseph, that he should tell to him, and he meet with them in Goshen. And when Jacob had come thither, (And Jacob sent Judah ahead, to tell Joseph to come and meet them in Goshen. And so when Jacob arrived there,)

Genesis 46:28 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 46:28

And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph
Who was the more honourable of his sons, and in greater esteem with Jacob than his elder brethren were, Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, who by their conduct had greatly displeased him: moreover, he was a man of a polite address, and had endeared himself to Joseph by his speech to him, in which he discovered so much affection both to his father, and his brother Benjamin, and was upon all accounts the fittest person to be sent to Joseph:

to direct his face unto Goshen;
to inform Joseph of his father's coming, that a place might be prepared for him to dwell in, as both the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem paraphrase it; and particularly to direct what place in Goshen he would have him come to, and meet him at:

and they came into the land of Goshen;
which was the first part of the land of Egypt that lay nearest to Canaan: the Greek version of the whole verse is,

``he sent Judah before him to Joseph, to meet him at Heroopolis, or the city of the heroes, in the land of Rameses,''

which is confirmed by Josephus F24; (See Gill on Genesis 45:10).


FOOTNOTES:

F24 Antiqu. l. 2. c. 7. sect. 5.

Genesis 46:28 In-Context

26 And all the men that entered with Jacob into Egypt, and went out of his thigh, without his sons? wives, were sixty and six. (And so all those who went with Jacob to Egypt, and came out of his thigh, not including his sons? wives, were sixty-six.)
27 Forsooth the sons of Joseph, that were born to him in the land of Egypt, were two men. (So) All the souls of the house of Jacob, that entered into Egypt, were seventy.
28 Forsooth Jacob sent Judah before him to Joseph, that he should tell to him, and he meet with them in Goshen. And when Jacob had come thither, (And Jacob sent Judah ahead, to tell Joseph to come and meet them in Goshen. And so when Jacob arrived there,)
29 Joseph went up in his chariot to meet his father at the same place (Joseph came up in his chariot, and met his father there). And he saw Jacob, and felled on his neck, and wept betwixt embracings.
30 And the father said to Joseph, Now I shall die joyful, for I have seen thy face, and I (shall) leave thee living.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.